


Gladers Track

by Skquill



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, One Shot, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29588859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skquill/pseuds/Skquill
Summary: I wanted to start compiling all the Gladers Track au stuff. Because am deep into Maze Runner, when I'm not doing other writing things haha.This follows Thomas during his last two years of college, he is a recent transfer student at Gladers track, taking part in the WCKD Program for gifted/honor students.I hope you enjoy these little snippets, I love thinking about these characters a lot.
Relationships: Brenda & Gally (Maze Runner), Newt/Thomas (Maze Runner)
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to start compiling all the Gladers Track au stuff. Because am deep into Maze Runner, when I'm not doing other writing things haha. 
> 
> This follows Thomas during his last two years of college, he is a recent transfer student at Gladers track, taking part in the WCKD Program for gifted/honor students. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy these little snippets, I love thinking about these characters a lot.

The track field was vast. It looked like a valley, touching the ends of the forest before it went off campus grounds. The sun was still high in the mid-afternoon sky, even with try-outs, it seemed like practice was still happening. Some guys were running laps, others were moving field stuff. Long javelins and sand bags.

Thomas stood lost in the movement of it all. Going from the choking feeling of his dorm to the outdoors did that to him. He closed his eyes to take in the sweet scent of summer, and the laughter of everyone. 

“You here for try-outs?” Thomas jumped at the voice, opening his eyes to see a tall man in front of him. He was well built, wearing a sleeveless shirt and sweats. 

“Uh… Sure. I just wanted to get some fresh air really…” Thomas voiced.

The man laughed gently. “Well, no better fresh air than on the Glade. Names Alby.” He stuck out his hand. Thomas took it and smiled through the grip that Alby had. Strong and solid, yet gentle. “If you want, I can show you around. And if you want after that, then you can try out.” He turned and signaled for Thomas to follow. 

“What’s the ratio of cuts and acceptances?” Thomas stepped forward and tried to match Alby’s pace, while also taking in the commotion. Alby looked a few years older than him, he seemed to radiate pride.

“Right out the gate with questions huh.” Alby spoke up, he had a nice smile. “We test newbies by having them run a 400cm against one of our non-runners. That way we can see where they can improve early on. We usually accept all applicants though, mainly because no one really tries out. This school isn’t much for sports unless a student and advisor can hold it together.” Alby explained. Thomas nodded.

“Hey Alby!” A short guy shouted from across the field. He was dressed in kneepads and fingerless gloves. Thomas recognized him as one of the guys that was moving equipment. He was stocky, with spiky blond hair and a brushing of freckles on his face.

“What’s up, Gal?” Alby stopped the tour as the stocky guy came up to them.

“Minho said that he took over as Second, is that true? What happened to Fig Newton?”

_ What did any of that mean… _ Thomas kept quiet as the two discussed. He could hear music playing on the speakers, a band he never heard of before. A person with short dark hair was balancing themself on the bleachers. While everyone Thomas had seen was wearing running clothes, they were dressed in a jumper and boots. 

“Newt had to quit, Gally.” Alby said it quietly. “Sports injury.”

“He’s coming back though, right?” Gally crossed his arms. Even though he was just a bit shorter than Thomas, he carried himself like he was equals with everyone. 

Alby was quiet for a moment. He glanced at Gally, then at Thomas. His eyes swept over the field for a moment. “I don’t think so. He said he wanted to focus on school more. He’s able to come to practice though, I didn’t bar him.”

Gally nodded, but he didn’t relax. He pointed a thumb at Thomas. “New Greenie?” 

“Maybe.”

“Well, I can’t trial him because…” He motioned with his shoulders to the equipment. “Ask Brenda, they’re just playing DJ.” And with a nod of his head he motioned toward the person who was on the bleachers. They were joined by another student, he didn’t look as built as the other teammates that Thomas was seeing. He wore casual sneakers, cuffed jeans and a tan hoodie over a brown shirt.

***

He wasn’t dressed for try-outs, but neither was Brenda. She was undoing the poorly tied knots on her boots as the two of them stood at the starting line. The team gathered around the two of them. Thomas was starting to recognize faces, but not names. 

“Have any running experience?” Brenda straightened up, kicking off her boots. “Because then you’re at an advantage, and run against Minho or another running boy.” This was the second time Thomas was hearing that name. Everyone seemed to pronounce it differently. 

“No, not really. Just standard running. The mile every year for school.” Thomas answered as Brenda tore off her socks. “I just like the outdoors.”

She stifled a laugh, they all did. 

“On my mark.” Alby said. “Brenda if you get hurt, it’s your own fault for not wearing shoes.” His smile seemed perfect. 

Brenda stuck out her tongue at him. “Screw you, I’d have a higher probability of tripping if I wore those boots.” She threw her sock at Alby, who watched it hit his chest and fall.

He started counting down then.


	2. Halloween Prep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween is around the corner; which is oddly Newt's favorite time of the year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the saga I like to call, I freaking Love Brenda.
> 
> Takes place around Halloween; Newt and Thomas are already dating.

Newt’s room was like something Thomas had never seen before at college. It had the same bones of his dorm room, but looked in, like he never left for vacation or holidays. A bass guitar was hidden in the corner, behind a lounge chair. The floor had a thin, decorative carpet--depicting the forest and small animals. The bed was neatly made, yet looked fumbled in areas, like he didn’t take the time to make it. Newt’s desk was bare, except for a shelf of textbooks and notebooks.

“Dude, your room is so cool.” Thomas muttered as Newt took a seat in one of the bean bag chairs that were around.

“Give props to Alby. Most of it is his except for my bass guitar, and the bedding.” Newt said as he swatted away Thomas’s compliment. “Got the carpet at a yard sale though.”

“Still,” Thomas shrugged. He moved toward the closest bean bag and took a seat. “I think this is the first time I’ve been in your room.” As he sank into the seat, Thomas saw more of Newt’s desk.

A string of polaroid pictures hung on the wall. In-between the photographs were clusters of fairy lights, outlining each image. The images were candid shots of the years before Thomas met anyone from the team. A time when Newt was a runner, co-captain, and could outrun anyone. There was no photo of Newt’s home, just the team.

“Ya done gawking, Greenie?” Newt’s voice broke Thomas out of his thoughts. He jumped at the sudden noise and locked eyes with Newt. He saw the twitch of Newt’s eyebrow and lip underneath his perpetual frown.  _ Even in his own room, he’s guarded.  _

“Sorry.” Thomas took a breath. He urged his eyes not to wander as he spoke. “Why’d you invite me over anyway?” The two of them hadn’t known each other for as long as the other members. Thomas still felt like a fish out of water with everyone, but Newt seemed the most inviting. He had walls up, but he still was easiest to talk to. 

Newt rubbed the back of his neck, making an audible sigh. He broke their shared gaze, brown eyes darting around the room, before once again landing on Thomas. “I didn’t want to be alone, is all…” His voice shook with tension. Quiet, guarded and careful. His hand left his neck and pulled up his legs. “Brenda’s coming over to give me something for my costume. But nights…” As Newt spoke, even looking at Thomas the whole time, his voice sounded unsure. Scared, almost. “Nights are hard.”

Thomas opened his mouth to get a better explanation out of him, but Newt already wanted to leave the discussion behind. “I’m being a vampire, by the way. Those old, class ones from films. Brenda found some inserts that are used for--” Newt shook his hands in an attempt at jazzhands. “--Professional actors.”

“That was a sorry excuse for jazzhands.” Thomas laughed, feeling the tension in the room evaporate. His eyes wandered to the bass guitar that was partially hidden from his gaze. “How long have you played bass?” He pointed to it, what he could see of it at least.

Newt glanced at the instrument and scoffed. “Oh, uh… just a few years really. It was gathering dust for the most part till the summer. Bren introduced me to one of her favorite bands, and I am trying to learn their songs.”

Thomas recalled the day he moved in at the mention of music and Brenda. Indie alt rock blaring from Newt’s room as Brenda excitedly went to track tryouts. He never got to properly meet either of them at that moment, only meeting Brenda as he was whisked into tryouts.

“Dandelion corpse, right?” Thomas muttered, looking at Newt for approval.

Newt chuckled, his lips curling into a small smile. “Daisybones, Tommy.”

“I was close…”

Brenda placed a bag of prosthetics on Newt’s desk and positioned herself so she was leaning against Thomas. “So, how’s my fav British bad boy and bookworm doing?” She questioned, an evil smile on her lips as her eyebrows raised. 

“I’m not a bad boy?” Newt ignored part of her question.

“I’m doing okay.” Thomas answered.

Brenda snorted. “ _ Sir _ Fig Newton, I assure you… you are the baddest brit I’ve ever met! Your parents hate you, you listen to alt rock, you smoke, you're the whole package deal.” 

“If it helps, I hate my parents equally.”

“There ya go.” Brenda shrugged, her smile unfaltered. “In any case, you now owe me.” She pointed to the bag on Newt’s desk. “Snagged an extra bag of teeth from the props department. Just mold them to your teeth and they will dry.”

“Are they sanitary?” Thomas adjusted his shoulder to better support Brenda. 

“Dude the whole drama department is full of super spreaders, why would I subject you to that. It’s unopened.” Brenda raised her eyebrow, and half smiled. “Just take them out before you do anything weird.”

“Can I decorate them?” Newt ripped open the bag and examined the little bits of moldable plastic. 

“With food coloring. If you wanted decorations, you should've told me. I might have snagged you some fake blood.” Brenda voiced, and dug into her pocket. She brought out a ring of keys and twirled them. “Dr. Campbell is sweet, but she shouldn’t trust me with keys.”

Thomas was half mesmerized by the jingling sound they made as the metal clank together. 

“What if I decorate with…” Newt started, then dipped into a bad transylvanian accent “your blood!”

No one laughed. 

No one said anything for what felt like a minute.

“Never do that again” Brenda muttered.

“That was awful.” Thomas nodded.

“I’m a literature major, fuck off.” Newt crossed his arms in defense. His brow crinkled slightly in annoyance.

“I’ve never met a British person who can’t act.” Brenda joked. “Wow you really  _ are  _ a bad brit!” She laughed, stomping her shoes on the ground in excitement.

“Don’t you have to read plays?” Thomas sat up, speaking normally. “Like Miller, Levenson, or, fucking Shakespeare?” He couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Why would I be bloody reading plays in literature courses?” His stern face was breaking, revealing cracks of laughter and smiles.

“YOU READ DRACULA!” Brenda emphasized, clapping as she said it.


End file.
